Welcome to Medical News Today

Healthline Media, Inc. would like to process and share personal data (e.g., mobile ad id) and data about your use of our site (e.g., content interests) with our third party partners (see a current list) using cookies and similar automatic collection tools in order to a) personalize content and/or offers on our site or other sites, b) communicate with you upon request, and/or c) for additional reasons upon notice and, when applicable, with your consent.

Healthline Media, Inc. is based in and operates this site from the United States. Any data you provide will be primarily stored and processed in the United States, pursuant to the laws of the United States, which may provide lesser privacy protections than European Economic Area countries.

By clicking “accept” below, you acknowledge and grant your consent for these activities unless and until you withdraw your consent using our rights request form. Learn more in our Privacy Policy.

Please accept our privacy terms

We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your browsing experience, personalize content and offers, show targeted ads, analyze traffic, and better understand you. We may share your information with third-party partners for marketing purposes. To learn more and make choices about data use, visit our Advertising Policy and Privacy Policy. By clicking “Accept and Continue” below, (1) you consent to these activities unless and until you withdraw your consent using our rights request form, and (2) you consent to allow your data to be transferred, processed, and stored in the United States.

Monolaurin: What you need to know

Monolaurin is a chemical derived from lauric acid, a component of both coconut fat and breast milk.

Also known as glycerol monolaurate or glyceryl laurate, monolaurin is used in cosmetics and as a food additive. People can also take it as a dietary supplement.

Monolaurin has shown antibacterial and antiviral effects when examined in test tubes and culture dishes, which is referred to as in vitro testing. Researchers are currently investigating its usefulness in clinical settings.

This article looks at the potential benefits and side effects of monolaurin.

Benefits

The research on monolaurin is limited. So far, its effects have only been seen when tested in laboratories or on animals.

Despite this, evidence suggests that the compound may have the following qualities:

Antibacterial

Monolaurin is available as a dietary supplement.
Image credit: Flwany, 2016

Monolaurin shows antibacterial effects against a range of bacteria including antibiotic-resistant bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus (Staph).

According to a 2013 study, monolaurin is effective both in vitro and in living beings against certain strains of Staph infection.

Although this study did not use human participants, it did show monolaurin's effectiveness at killing bacterial infection in mice.

Other research indicates that monolaurin can inhibit the activity of other types of bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Bacillus subtilis.

In 2007, the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology published a study that compared monolaurin and six common antibiotics in the treatment of skin infections. The antibiotics included penicillin, oxacillin, and vancomycin.

The study concluded that monolaurin demonstrated "statistically significant in vitro broad-spectrum sensitivity" against the bacteria responsible for the skin infections. Most of the bacteria also did not display any resistance to the monolaurin.

There are many antibiotic-resistant bacteria that no longer respond to medications. Monolaurin might be helpful, has few side effects, and is cost-effective to use.

Antiviral

Monolaurin is reported to inhibit several lipid-coated viruses that affect humans and animals, including:

However, experts are unsure how the body converts lauric acid into monolaurin, and at what rates.

As a result, it is not yet possible to say how much coconut must be consumed to receive enough monolaurin to treat or prevent certain illnesses.

Lauric acid is mainly found in:

dietary supplements

coconut oil

coconut cream

fresh coconut

coconut milk

human breast milk

While monolaurin has GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it has not been evaluated as a treatment for any condition.

As a result, there are no dosage guidelines available, and the limited amount of research does not allow scientists to formulate an appropriate range of doses.

It is likely that the appropriate dose of monolaurin depends on several factors, including:

age

health status

presence of other conditions

If someone is taking coconut oil as a source of lauric acid, the ideal dosage may also depend on the body's ability to convert the acid into monolaurin.

Risks and side effects

Before taking monolaurin, it is recommended to speak to a healthcare professional, especially if pregnant or taking any medication.

Monolaurin is considered safe to consume in the amounts commonly found in foods. It is not yet known if medicinal amounts of monolaurin are safe.

The main risk associated with consuming or applying monolaurin relates to those with a coconut allergy.

Anyone who is allergic to coconuts should not use coconut oil or monolaurin that has been made from coconut products.

At present, there are no other known risks or complications associated with taking monolaurin in supplement form, but that does not prove that supplements are safe either. It is also not known if monolaurin interacts with any medications.

To stay on the safe side, people should speak to a pharmacist or doctor before taking monolaurin, especially if they are:

pregnant

breast-feeding

taking any medications

diagnosed with any medical conditions

Those taking monolaurin supplements should follow the dosing guidelines on the packet carefully.

Takeaway

Current scientific research into monolaurin is limited.

The majority of studies have looked at the effects of monolaurin on viruses, bacteria, and fungi in test tubes and petri dishes. Nonetheless, the results are promising, and research on humans and animals is ongoing.

Coupled with the worldwide concern about antibiotic resistance, this may mean that monolaurin or lauric acid could become a viable treatment option in the future.

At present, anecdotal evidence suggests that monolaurin supplements or lauric acid from coconut oil may help prevent or treat some health conditions. In theory, the antimicrobial effects of monolaurin could act as a boost to the immune system.

As the risks associated with monolaurin ingestion are low, there are few downsides to including natural monolaurin in your diet. However, as the FDA do not monitor supplements, the risks can increase when using processed supplements.

2018 Healthline Media UK Ltd. All rights reserved. MNT is the registered trade mark of Healthline Media. Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.